Atin Ito First Filipino Community Newspaper in Ontario
Ang Duyan ng Magiting (The Cradle of the Brave), a film written at the height of red-tagging and extrajudicial killings, provides a perspective on the socio-political climate in the Philippines.
Written and directed by Dustin Celestino, the 120-minute piece revolves around the journey of a student named Jose, who leaves a letter to his mother that states he will be living among those in the armed movement.
It is an anthology of interwoven narratives on life and terrorism in the country following a college professor, university chancellor, social worker, police chief, lawyer, two mothers, and two pupils.
Ang Duyan ng Magiting is an adaptation of Celestino’s eponymous play, which won 1st Prize in the Dulang Ganap ang Haba Category at the 2019 Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature.
Penned during the previous administration, it is a contemplation and meditation on the agony of an entire nation as it mourns the courageous Filipinos who have suffered in the name of patriotism.
“Over those six years, we lived in a culture of violence and impunity. That instinct towards violence spread like a virus,” he recalled.
“Upon reflection, I noticed the same impulse grew within me,” he shared. “That was when I started asking: Am I becoming the very thing that I despise?”
Further motivated by Leni Robredo’s 2022 Presidential Campaign on “radical love”, Celestino turned to his craft to create a cautionary tale about the “dangers of becoming similar to the monsters we seek to destroy.”
“Ang Duyan ng Magiting is a criticism of the impulsive violence that was normalized during the last half-decade of our country’s history and a reminder that everything we do has far-reaching consequences,” he explained.
“It is an attempt to take the first step by extending our empathy towards those we disagree with the most,” he added. “This is a call for understanding and patience.”
To offer a more nuanced and balanced view of the ongoing conflict, Celestino, who likewise teaches screenwriting under the Digital Filmmaking (DFilm) Program of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) School of New Media Arts (SNMA), avoided falling into the stereotypes and generalizations of antagonizing people with different political views.
“It is an appeal to listen to the better angels of our nature – a reminder that all this pain and anger we feel comes from a sincere but wounded place,” he stated.
Ang Duyan ng Magiting stars Dolly de Leon, Bituin Escalante, Agot Isidro, Miggy Jimenez, Jojit Lorenzo, Frances Makil-Ignacio, Paolo O’Hara, Joel Saracho and Dylan Ray Talon.
The film will premiere on August 5, 6:00 p.m. at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) as part of the 2023 Cinemalaya Film Festival.
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Credit belongs to: www.manilastandard.net
